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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23738968">Sing Me Awake</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sinistercollyflower/pseuds/sinistercollyflower'>sinistercollyflower</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Creature Jaskier | Dandelion, Fluff, Jaskier | Dandelion is a shameless flirt, M/M, Meet-Cute, Non-Human Jaskier | Dandelion, Tired Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, merman Jaskier | Dandelion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 01:14:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,395</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23738968</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sinistercollyflower/pseuds/sinistercollyflower</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>He'd been right before, the merman was sharp. "Here I am, promising riches and love to people, endless adventure and happiness, and all you wanted was a chat??" Geralt looked away and kept swimming. </p><p>"Stakeouts are boring " Geralt said defensively, but Jaskier ignored him.</p><p>~</p><p>In other words, Geralt meets his most interesting monster to date. Maybe ever.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>403</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Sing Me Awake</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Yes I know I'm sooo original with the Amazing Devil title but u know what titles are hard and I'm entitled to my cheats.</p><p>Work based on fanart by <a href="https://twitter.com/ningyogaaru">ningyogaaru</a> which can be found <a href="https://twitter.com/ningyogaaru/status/1221514334888779777?s=20">here</a>!</p><p>There's a thread version of this which can be found on my twitter (link in the end notes) but I do believe this is the superior version, seeing as the formatting isn't hindered by character limits. Regardless, consider giving my twt a follow if u like what u see here ;)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The thing is, Jaskier's magic had worked, like it always has, thankyouveymuch. That wasn't the surprising part. </p><p>The not-quite-human has been slinking around Jaskier's usual haunts by the shore for over a week (Jaskier could smell him on the beach) and had finally made the mistake of coming close enough to be ensnared in his trap. Whoever stayed around that long and kept coming back was either foolish or a threat, and Jaskier was more than happy to deal with either. The opportunity had presented itself when Jaskier went to one of the secluded beaches near the town, not particularly looking for anything, but intent on it nonetheless. He’d smelled him on the breeze before either of them had a chance to glimpse each other, and he supposed he was lucky that he was the one downwind. Otherwise he would have been the prey. </p><p>Now, as the man waded deeper into the water, pulled toward where Jaskier was waiting for him to come deep enough to be pulled under, the merman took the time to look him over.</p><p>His hair was white, like the purest pearls from the deep and previously unseen by Jaskier on any other land-dweller. His eyes shone in the thin rays of sun like human jewelry, pupils slitted like a predator's, and his grip on his sword never faltered, even as his eyes grew foggier with every step towards Jaskier. He reached out when the white one was in range, and the man eagerly gave him his hand, lacking the hesitation others displayed when beckoned closer, even with magic clogging their brains.</p><p>Jaskier took his hand delicately, felt the overabundance of life bubbling under his skin, and thought, "huh, I might not even have to kill this one", before digging his claws into his forearm and swiftly pulling him under. The man, once again, went. And, unlike his other victims, took a readying gulp of air before being submerged. There was something to be said about that. Fear was a potent drug, and it was often enough to break Jaskier's spell on people, making him work fast and be sloppy about taking their life for himself. But not this one. This one came willingly, his unnerving yellow eyes visibly adjusting to the diminished light and staying fixed on Jaskier's own as he pulled him deeper still. Once he deemed them deep enough to have a proper advantage, Jaskier stopped singing.</p><p>He couldn't help himself, he needed to know. So, he took the man's jaw in both his hands, and kissed him, granting him air in his lungs and throat enough to speak. </p><p>"What are you?" He asked once he pulled away from his victim.</p><p>"You're a curious one, aren't you?" The man asked, which was also weird. His victims never went off-script, answering his questions truthfully under his spell. "I'm a Witcher." He then said, and Jaskier's eyes widened. He'd heard the townsfolk of his hunting ground mention a Witcher recently. Someone they'd call in to save them from the monster in the depths. "You're here to kill me." He breathed, claws involuntarily digging into the man's shoulders on instinct.</p><p>"Hadn't planned on it." His victim surprised him once again. "Merfolk can usually be reasoned with." Jaskier eyed the sword still clutched in the Witcher's hands sceptically. "What's this for then?"</p><p>The man chuckled, "Curious AND sharp." He says with a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Jaskier wants to kiss him again. "That's for if you can't be reasoned with." he adds, making Jaskier's blood run cold again. The Witcher hasn't attacked him yet, however, and his eyes are still half-mast and focused only on Jaskier's bright ones. He's not sure what to do with this man. He intrigues him, but he's also a threat. Jaskier can't keep him under indefinitely.</p><p>"Tell me, what's your name, Witcher?" He asks against his better judgement. He should just take what he came here for and leave the man on the shore to walk off the hangover and wonder what happened. He had more than enough life in him for what Jaskier needed.</p><p>"Geralt." Said the Witcher calmly, "and what's yours, young one?" Nobody ever really got this far, but regardless, Jaskier hadn't expected this one to figure out his age. He knew more about merfolk than any land-dweller Jaskier had ever met. "You can call me Jaskier," he said slowly, "you-" but before he could finish that thought, Geralt started to choke. The effects of his magic had started to wane, and, throwing all logic to the wind, Jaskier dragged him in for another air-gifting kiss.</p><p>Geralt's eyes snapped open, free of the merman's magic, and he surged into action the moment he was aware. He grabbed the creature's neck, closing his gills, and flipped their positions to press the sword to his throat for good measure.</p><p>"Take us to the surface." He growled in his captive's ear. </p><p>"Geralt-" the merman choked, his powerful tail already beating hard towards the light of the sun. It was his only way to clear air now that his gills were incapacitated.</p><p>"How do you know my name??" Geralt snarled</p><p>"You TOLD me!" The merman gasped as they breached the surface. Realisation hit, and Geralt's grip slackened in his shock. </p><p>"I got what I wished for..." He said as the rest of the fog of magic cleared. The merman used his shock to wretch himself out of his grasp and swiftly swim out of reach, gasping.</p><p>"That is HORRIBLE," he choked, submerging himself to the ears to unstick his gills, "why would you DO that??" </p><p>Geralt, despite himself, couldn't help but feel amused. "Maybe you'll stop doing it to people now that you know how it feels." He sniped.</p><p>"I GAVE you air down there! And this is the thanks I get??" The boy crossed his arms over his chest petulantly, still keeping out of reach of Geralt's sword, which suited the Witcher just fine. He knew the merman had an advantage in the deeper water.</p><p>"Hmm," he said, moving slowly towards the shore, "why did you do that, I wonder." The merman, Jaskier, as Geralt now remembered, narrowed his bright eyes at him, but didn't try to stop him. In fact, he followed, keeping a respectable distance between them.</p><p>Instead of answering his question, Jaskier regarded him critically, then brightened as if coming to an epiphany. "You said you got what you wanted." He said incredulously, "that's the only sure way to break the magic of my Voice..."</p><p>Geralt looked away and kept swimming. He had been right before, the merman was sharp. "Here I am, promising riches and love to people, endless adventure and happiness, and all you wanted was a chat??" </p><p>"Stakeouts are boring " Geralt said defensively, but Jaskier ignored him.</p><p>"Or was it my name that you wanted? It can't have been the kiss, though that would've been flattering, cause the first one didn't break you out of it." He said thoughtfully, before continuing to ramble. Geralt just sighed and continued his trudge to dry land.</p><p>What a mess. If Geralt was to be entirely honest with himself, which he rarely indulged in, Jaskier was close enough to the mark with his first try. He had wanted to talk to the merman. When he heard word that people were going missing and turning up drowned in the small coastal town, he'd taken the job.</p><p>Then it had come to light that the last victim was still missing, and, knowing that mermaids sometimes kept their victims alive for a while, Geralt set out to observe the creature and hopefully figure out where he'd stashed the fisherman's son.</p><p>That, as it turned out, was a more difficult task than originally intended. There was no clear pattern to the merman's movements, no apparent habit or place he visited regularly. He did, however, seem to like spying on the town's residents, just like Geralt had been spying on him.</p><p>At first Geralt thought he'd been looking for his next victim, but after the third missed opportunity, it became apparent that the young mer just... Wanted to see. He observed the humans and came closer than any sane creature would to steal trinkets from them. A fishhook here, a knife there, and most amusingly, the hat of one of the fishermen, left unsupervised on a dock one afternoon. He also stole food, which drove Gerald further to believe that he was keeping the boy alive somewhere. It was curious.</p><p>That, coupled with the frustration of his near-two-week fruitless stakeout, resulted in Geralt growing sloppy and drawing nearer to the shore. He didn't know why exactly, but the merman intrigued him, and he'd hoped to dissuade him from harassing the small town anymore.</p><p>He knew that the chances of a talk going well were slim, the merman had taken as many as 5 victims already, and it was unlikely that he was willing to stop now. This is probably why the magic worked, promising something that Geralt wanted, but couldn't have.</p><p>Or at least, he thought he couldn't. Curious indeed. He cast a glance to the young mer now perched on a rock near where he'd finally reached dry land. The boy's posture was relaxed, cheek resting on one hand and tail waving lazily in the air behind him, watching Geralt intently.</p><p>"You want to walk on land, don't you?" He asked, and Jaskier beamed at him. </p><p>"Got it in one! Though, why else would I be stealing life from people?" He lifts a scaled hand and Geralt watches as the claws and webbing disappear to leave human flesh in their wake.</p><p>"Not much left now I reckon, I need about one more lifetime before I can complete the spell." Jaskier says with a grin. Geralt had never met a monster this chatty, let alone one that was... Happy to talk to him. "You need to stop. You've been killing people." He growls.</p><p>"Accidents happen!" Jaskier waves him off, but Geralt doesn't miss his wince. "Stealing years isn't an easy task, you know. How would I even get people to agree? 'Excuse me, good sir, could I interest you in a shorter lifespan? No? Well that's alright, I'll be on my way then." He's playing it off, but Geralt realizes he'd not intended to kill people, or, at least, not as many as he has. Coupled with his curiosity, and everything else Geralt has learned about him in this short timespan, he begins to understand the mer's motivations a little more clearly</p><p>There's just one more thing he needs to make sure. "Where's the boy?" He asks, making Jaskier scoff. </p><p>"I'd hardly call him a boy. Ivan is safe and sound, he's too lovely of a source of information for me to take anything from him yet, and he's an excellent conversation partner!"</p><p>"Though," he adds, grin growing more salacious, "Not as fun as you, dear Witcher." With a wink.</p><p>Geralt pinches the bridge of his nose, in part for real annoyance, and partly so he doesn't have to look at the insufferably beautiful merman as he tries to think of what to do with him. </p><p>"Alright," he sighs, "how about this. Bring the boy back home, unharmed, and I'll give you as much life force of my own as you need to complete the transformation." When Jaskier looks at him sceptically, he clarifies. "A Witcher's lifespan has never been determined. We live longer than humans, but none of us has ever died of old age. For all I know I could be immortal, but I'll much more likely get killed in the line of duty before finding that out. Either way, it's all the same to me." He says with a shrug, ignoring the leftover pain from his wounds.</p><p>Jaskier inspects him for a long moment, searching for the lie in his words, but, once he finds none, he beams. "Alright!" He says, sliding off of his rock and coming closer, "but I have one more condition. Come."</p><p>Geralt realizes he'd obeyed much too late, when he's already crouching in the shallows and the mer has already grasped his hands in his webbed fingers. He doesn't move though, just lets Jaskier look at him with that childish excitement of his playing in his bright eyes.</p><p>"I want you to be my guide through the human world," he says happily, then, with a chuckle, "just until I've found my footing, so to speak."</p><p>Geralt isn't sure what to make of this. "You realize I'm not human either." He says, "I'm not the best guide, not for what you crave."</p><p>Jaskier laughs, "You don't know what I crave, dear Witcher. But I know an opportunity for knowledge when I see one. And there's something much more important than humanity that you can offer me." His soft look dissipates and he thinks of something else, "Besides! Think of it like this, this way, you can keep an eye on me to make sure I don't take from people more than I need to stay on land, and less than they'll notice missing!" He says cheerfully, and Geralt thinks that they'll have to work on his disregard for human life.</p><p>At the realization that he's already planning for a future with Jaskier in it, he harrumphs, but the decision has already been made, so why fight it? </p><p>"It's a deal then." He sighs tiredly, trying to ignore Jaskier's cry of joy.</p><p>"Oh, this is fantastic!" Jaskier babbles, leaving Geralt to believe he hadn't struck a fair deal at all, "I'll leave Ivan for you to pick up tomorrow morning, unharmed and with his lifespan intact. Meet me here after you've brought him home to uphold your end of the bargain."</p><p>"And Geralt," he says, just as the Witcher thought that was it, "I do so look forward to our joined travels, my dear." And with a kiss to Geralt's cheek, he bounds away into the deeper water, and is gone before Geralt can get a word in edgewise.</p><p>He shakes off the strange feeling that the merman had left in the pit of his stomach, then heads back to his camp to change out of his soaked clothes. </p><p>It takes Geralt almost the full trek back to camp to realize that all of his injuries have been healed.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>You can find me as <a href="https://twitter.com/enderham">enderham</a> on twitter and under the same @ on tumblr, though I'm not very active over there. I'm insufferably talkative so feel free to yell at me abt anything and I'll yell right back!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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